Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-02-03
THE vI1ws OF a1R. BATES.

THE vI1Ws OF MIR. BATES.
What Ne Tanks 10 Needed In she wsy
o1 Cesstitutionsl Reform N This
Htsss.
Form" WAS delivered last evening By |
George Il. Bates, Esc., before the Young |
Mems Democratic Clab In their rooms |
st Seventh and Market stroeit. There
was large attendan ~ ,and tho speaker |
was introduced By Lswis c. vsudsgrift,
Esq. /
He began his address by saying that
some Amendments to the State Con. |
btitution weys necesaary was accepted |
as = matter OF course, that she agita
tion for such Amendments began ai.
most 40 years ago, and that sono ef the
features OF the present constitution pro.
duced results SO grotesque ~ to illus.
srats how unsatisfAssory zoheme of
government suited TO the times fifty
years ago could be insthese times. he
said:
Tho single fact shat In this State,
for period OF ak years, covering three
sees.cns OF the Legislature, the men,
berr of both Houses have been chosen
from one party (excspt In oae OF those
UbCnoto1s hit AOcA Va OhS LtOut0ls
is Of itself evidences of . system 60 de-
\ tsctiye, and % utterly inconsistent with
= well organized popular government
that no other illustration 10 necessary.
l confess fran y that, whsn away from
home, l have never stated this fact
without certain sense OF shame; and
IL has never failed. TO evoke from . eth
zen of any other State, whether Of oar
Iown or the oppcsite party, an express
sion OF inereduiisy. Such \ condition
lof things is unfair to the minority
party and extremely unfortunate for
tho IN majority."
| He attributed his absence OF q mi
n0rity repreaen tAtion to the fac,ional
,ldifferences In the Democratic party,
ard said: "rhe proper system would
hs to have repres. ntatives of both the
majority aud minority party from each
Ioounty in the State, and no fAir-minded
man will venture to depy that this
would greatly promote the proper criti-
cism and examination Of proposed leg.
islative action, and, consequently, the
} well being of the State"
il Another need OF = constitutional oon.
vsntlon is the gross inequality Of rop,
PRESENTATION In different parts OF the
6tAts, aud said that New Castle County
} resentation.
The speaker then referred to the Of
forts made by the Dsnooratio party ia
lbring. Ahoas constitutional reform. The
democratic Convention Of 1882 resolved
that the Judicial ~ stem and the repre.
sentatisn Of New Castle County de-
nAnded tina, . convention should be
called or that reform should be brough,
about By legislative amendment.
A third Ill ustfation Of the necessity
for reform may be drawn from the
judicial system Of the State. This sys
TEN was admitted to bs inadequate for
the needs Of the day by all who came
in contact with It. Tho speaker said
that these three things, namely, county
B Representation, inequality of rspresen
!. tation and The antiquated judicial sys.
ton, were admitted TO bs vital points In
I the constitution that demanded amend
ment and change.
Mr.. Bates then proceeded to enuner
ate the eleven different proposals. I,
ameod the constitution from 1885 Il
1883 inclusive. Two Of the eleven wer,
successful, but the frst, namely, chan z
Al ling the day for the Presidential cleo
tion, took ten years to be accomplished d
ri while tho other, permitting general In
corporation acts, was inadequate, m0r'
d !or less mischievous and perhaps need
less after it was passed. The speAkel
10 then reviewed his experience In thl
General Assembly OF 1883 when ho tries
l. to have fair and equitable system o
I through the lower House.
The speaker next turned to the righ'
!of the people to reform the fundamen
!, tal law, q light 'inhercnt and immu
table" lie did net believe that &C
d vention could be held under the provi
c sions OF article X of the constitution
and had no hes sitAtion In saying that /
10 ought not TO be adhered to.
FL lie ci.sd at length from Clayton
~ James A. Bayard, Benjamin T Bigg
and others to show that The people hat
lam pie power to cIll conventions and q
amend the constitution of tho State
The inherent right OF the people to ex
press their opinion for or against n con
vsntion was cmphst.cally declared b,
John NJ Clayton not only In fsmou
IEddress, but also and with still create
Iemphssis by his going TO tho polls Oh
November 4, 1851, and voting "for
conyention Nr. Bates WAS eDtirsl!
lsstie fied of the right Of tbs people to g
~ ahead and call d convention, and ais.
of the right of the General Assembl.
to provide for such action by the people
After giving hislviews on the man ne
In which the deleg ates to the c0nven
} tion should be elected. ho turned hi
70 atte nti on TO some OF the reforms which
? tconyention Of 1853 there were ''nin,
u points OF reform One of these relatet
TO the negro question and was therefor,
tobsolete. The rest we're as follows: l
"Free suffrage without ths prepay m en'
10 of TAX. 3 Representa- ton by district OIL
II the basis OF population. 8. No property
l. for office. 4 Judicisl re
II form. 8. The elecsion of public officer
i lby the people. 6. The executive veto
,.I7. Annual elections. 8. Tax reform
q Some OF these are still live questions, u
}. lcontip ued the speaker. He had, how
/. lever, "no cut and dried opinions" OF
!. these snbjec,s, and WAC willing to re.
= ceive all the light that discussion would
: bring out. But he had deflaite convic'
q tions on the two problems Of judicial
!. reform and . new system Of rapres enta
Y tion.
The former of these he "hai hoped te
Il see accom- plished with the CO operation
!, OF the people, the bench and ths bar by
Il some modification Of the present sy stem
ell Wituout uistuio oihk sho ~ ooohs J"e =
/. .ScIary. / most reluctantly, but In al
l. iclndor, admit that I have NO Longer
70 this hope. There Is 30 radical differ
q once In the necessities Of this and tn,
4 lother counties that 1t seems Impossible
Ito engraft upon the present system an J
loft shoot generally acceptable which
will adapt 1t TO the uecet sities OF thi'
II .tIcommunity. Previous efforts. too
d have developed . spirit OF antsgonism
,t where CO operation was hoped for BY